News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-03-31
EARLY IMPRESSIONS
OF HYDE PARK VILLAGE, LAMOILLE
COUNTY COURsTs=ANp BAR

members OF the Bar, but only one tina
TOOK prominent part in the trial o
eases, viz
Whitman G. Ferrin. residing at tina
C1me IN Montpelier. was one not soon u
be forgotten by the writer, as he ha
ever been recognized as = leyel-headet
legal advisor" and as the assistant o
Thomas Gleed in the defence of " DOct
vennOr who was on trial for an OF
fence of the most offensive character
he displayed great ingenuity, and an IN
cldent is brought to mind that may bea1
repeating. 1t was of course, the part OF
the defence, to make the case appear IL
; The most ridiculous manner, and also
to belittle the OffenSe as much as posi-
bic. During the examinations OF the
chief witneSs-Such an exhibition was
stirred up in the large audience as Is
seldom witnessed even in court room
And when the entire room was con
vulsed with the rising emotions OF the
occaSiOn-even the side judges had then
heads upon their table with shaking
sides, like two school bOyS-the presld-
ing judge, with no more apparent feel
ing than the face upon" Old Mansfield j
remarked to the audience, that " II the
audience had not sufficient nerve to ell
dure the trial, without disturbing the
court, they had better retire from the
court room" The writer has witnessed
good dramatic acting by noted TRACE
dams, but the stage lost good actor
when Judge Poland chose the law as a
profession.
The " good men and true" who were
summoned to appear and serve as the
Grand Jury, were duly called upon the
occasion mentioned, and but one now
Jones, then living in WOlcOtt, but OF
late, residing in Albany, Orleans Co.
The writer has at different times been
thrown into the society of Judge Jones,
and 1t has ever been an acquaintance
that has been very CIsfactOry-appar-
ently-to both parties.
Samuel Plumley Esq, of Eden, was
assigned to the position of foreman :
and his sturdy fgure-as he came into
Court at the head of the Grand Jury, to
make report of their - findings" and
proceedings lis very distinctly i'm
pressed upon the memory at the present
| time.
Possibly others beside Judge Jones
may be still living in the county, who
served upon the Grand Jury, at the
spring term of 1850, but the writer IS
aware that tWenty-Seven years make sad
wOrk-With those of the age usually
sent to fill the position.
The ceremony of the administration
of law and Justice in Court is highly
educative, and quite as impressive as is
the making of law at the Grand Assem-
bly,, and the average talent displayed
is superior in the former case. The
younger members of the Lamoille Co.
| Bar, at this time, stand relatively, very
much as they did in 1860, and the writer
| has no reason to doubt, that the same
high standard of excellence may be Kept
| up, for the years to come, as has been
noticed in the past. At least, much IS
expected of the young men who nave
lately been = admitted"
| A few attendants upon the terms of
Court in the past may receive attention.
For over fifty years the County has been
organized, and during the time, there
bas been little season that Judge V. W..
| Waterman has not held some office con-
nected with the Court. He has ever
| been recognized by the writer as jul
dicial element" without which, his alb
| sence would make blank i'll the Court
room. He alone remains, of the old
time attendants, who were noticed at
the date mentioned.
Frederic Bliss has quite recently passed
over the river and is : only remembered
by what he has done" and as social
element is well remembered by the
writer.
Erastus Eaton, who was well known
in the county quarter OF century
ago, is absent from the village of Hyde
Park, where he was SO readily found in
1860.
Julius Keller was one who would not
be soon forgotten, by those who were
present upon the occasion mentioned,
and lived at that date in the residence
now owned and occupied by Waldo
Brigham, Esq.
Archibald Dwlnell, was ever present
at that term and all succeeding terms,
which have been attended by your cor
respondent, and usually had the Grand
Jury under his charge, For many years
he bad SSSe county jail under his custody,
Of Hyde PARK for many years. He too
has gone where the silent majority
reign"
A quarter of a century makes sad
changes in any society, and when we
multiply it by four it is no wonder the
town Of Hyde Park decides to make some
display over the event.
At the time of which we write Judge
l.. II. Moves was in active business at
the old Noyes store" at the east end
of the village, and it was the usual place
| for the writer to take recreation. Judge
| Moves, was social gentleman, and the
acquaintance thus formed was never
shaken until death called him hence. |
am reminded of a conversation, one
morning, between Judge NOyeS and a
| fellow Juryman-Over the impending
crisis " then hanging over the country,
which eliminated in the great rebellion
within year. Judge NOyeS was very
conservative Democrat, and my fellow
Juryman, very ardent Republican, but
the controversy was conducted in the
most gentlemanly and quiet manner,
and the thought has often occurred to
the writer, how little those gentlemen
ever imagined, that within few months
| Gov. Fairbanks would have occasion to
call for troops from this state to help
put down the greatest struggle this
country ever had, and we hope ever
may have to pass through. The kindly
relations existing at that time between
Judge, Noyes and your correspondent
were kept up for quite a number OF
years and is still remembered with in
terest. For many years he held the po-
sitiOn of First Director of the Lamollle
Co. Bank, as well as the LamOille Co.
National Bank, and was the President
of both institutions so long as he lived.
He was candid business man, one that
any young person might aspire to have
intercourse and companlonshlp with.
In the words of another at the time OF
his decease . the loss was irreparable to
those connected with the institution"
His place was filled and is continued by
his brother, Carlos S. Noyes, Esq, of
MOrrisville, the former cashier and one
every way worthy.
No person i'll Hyde Park, is so well
remembered as the Hon. Russell S. Page.
who kept a hardware store east of the
residence of Judge Small his erect
form and elastic step as he passed to
and fro from his store to his residence,
west of the common, the same now Oc-
cupied by his son, Hon. Carroll 5. Page.
Judge Page and his family are remem-
bered by the Writef-fOr their many acts
of kindness and consideration to those
of our household. 1t appears that time
has made slight inr0Ecs Upon the ylgOr
of Judge Page as we noticed him re-
Gently - among the different herds OF
stOck--at the County Fair. Ills step
was as lively as ever. AS Judge OF FRO
bate, al office that he has filled for a
number OF years, he has elevated the
Court, from rolling stone and the
same has become fixture at the Court
House, which seems to be the right and
proper place for 1t. 1t is a cause for
meditation to behold person, appar-
emily aged a quarter of a century ago,
Stlll active, when SO many OF his nelgn-
bors who were young at the date 10
which we refer, have passed over
the river of life. We leave the proDlem
Tor other thinking persons TO solve:
Long may he live to take active interest,"
III the affairs of h s town, county ana
nation. His family at the date men
TONED was unknown to the writer.